Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal
There will be Lakers fans who won’t like this deal. To be sure, they’ll have a case. If the team is trading Davis, shouldn’t they target players who optimize Westbrook?
Perhaps. Here’s our rebuttal: who cares? You’re getting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
For the Lakers, this has as much to do with Davis’ proneness to injuries as much as anything else. In fact, he’s been sidelined with ailments for the better part of two seasons. Of course, Gilgeous-Alexander gets injured from time to time himself, but as a significantly younger player, there’s more reason to put stock in his resilience.
The Lakers land a co-star for James that they can more realistically bank on here. Moreover, as a strong floor-spacer, Gilgeous-Alexander, unlike Westbrook (or Davis, for that matter) is a solid fit alongside James. Their combined playmaking will give opposing defenses fits.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers & Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
Finally, this trade allows the Lakers to move Westbrook into a sixth-man role where he might actually thrive. What does it do for the Thunder?
